How To Start Your Weight Loss Journey

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Whether you’re starting for the very first time, or have tried every type of weight loss solution for the hundredth time, there are ways to prepare yourself to improve your chances of success.

Based on my experiences treating hundreds of weight loss patients, here are several steps to take before starting your own weight loss journey.

Prepare your mind

Set proper expectations

Embarking on a weight loss journey requires recognizing that it is a process that takes time. Just as it took time for your body to gain weight, it will take time for it to shed the excess pounds. It’s important to set realistic goals and understand that weight loss is rarely a linear progression.

Initially, you may experience faster weight loss, perhaps around 2-4 pounds per week, or even more for some individuals. However, as you continue on your weight loss journey, it’s natural for the rate of weight loss to slow down. Your body adapts and becomes accustomed to the changes you’ve made, making it more challenging to maintain the same pace of weight loss.

This adjustment period varies among individuals, but it’s important to realize that it is a normal reaction from your body. As you lose weight, your body goes through changes and becomes accustomed to your initial weight loss efforts. This means that you may need to put in more effort and expect potentially slower results as you progress further.

It’s crucial to remember that experiencing a slower rate of weight loss is not a failure on your part. It’s to be expected, and it doesn’t diminish the significance of your accomplishments.

Whether you celebrate a 5-pound loss in the first week or a 1-pound loss in the 18th week, both are worth acknowledging. As long as your overall weight trend is downward, you’re still on the right track towards achieving your goals.

Be prepared for failure

The all-or-none mindset is a common trait among yoyo dieters. It implies that if you embark on a weight loss protocol, you must go all in and give it your maximum effort, or else it’s not worth doing at all. This mindset often leads to a cycle of intense dieting followed by giving in to temptations, feeling guilty, and ultimately giving up.

While this approach may result in rapid short-term weight loss for some, it typically leads to struggles with long-term weight maintenance. The pattern of strict dieting, succumbing to temptations, regaining weight, and then resorting to intense dieting again creates an unhealthy relationship with food. It also generates additional anxiety and stress surrounding eating.

Instead, it’s important to be prepared for the possibility of setbacks and failures along the way. Rather than fearing or feeling guilty about these moments, view them as valuable learning experiences. Failure can help you identify personal weaknesses and challenges, allowing you to anticipate and overcome them in future weight loss attempts.

By adopting a mindset that embraces failure as an opportunity for growth, you can develop strategies to address the specific issues that caused you to stumble. This proactive approach enables you to plan ahead, make adjustments, and find sustainable solutions to prevent similar setbacks in the future.

Remember, weight loss journeys are not always smooth and linear. They involve ups and downs, and it’s how you respond to challenges and setbacks that will determine your long-term success. By embracing the lessons from failure and viewing them as stepping stones on your path to success, you can cultivate resilience and develop a healthier relationship with both food and your weight loss journey.

Understand your motivation

Understanding your motivation is a crucial aspect of starting a weight loss journey. Identifying your reasons for wanting to lose weight and establishing a clear understanding of your motivation can provide the necessary drive and commitment to sustain you throughout your journey.

Here are some key points to consider when exploring your motivation:

Reflect on Your Personal Reasons: Take some time to reflect on why you want to lose weight. Is it for improved health, increased energy levels, enhanced self-confidence, or to be a positive role model for your loved ones? Understanding your personal reasons can help you establish a meaningful connection to your goals and serve as a source of inspiration when faced with challenges.
Be Mindful of Your Emotional Well-being: Acknowledge that weight loss journeys can be emotionally challenging at times. Be kind to yourself, practice self-compassion, and seek support when needed. Addressing underlying emotional triggers and developing healthy coping mechanisms can help you navigate emotional roadblocks and maintain your motivation.

It’s important to be mindful of the reasons or motivations that may not be beneficial or healthy in the long run. You should strive to be wary of or avoid these motivators:

External Pressure: Trying to lose weight solely to meet societal or societal standards, or to please others, can be detrimental to your mental and emotional well-being. Weight loss should be driven by personal goals and aspirations, not external expectations.
Unrealistic Body Image Ideals: Striving for a specific body shape or size based on unrealistic beauty standards portrayed in the media can lead to unhealthy behaviors and body dissatisfaction. Remember that everyone’s body is unique, and the focus should be on overall health rather than achieving a specific appearance.
Comparison to Others: Comparing your body or progress to others can create a negative mindset and erode self-esteem. Each person’s weight loss journey is individual and influenced by various factors. Instead of comparing, focus on your own progress and celebrate your personal achievements.
Rapid or Drastic Results: Seeking quick or extreme weight loss for immediate results may lead to unhealthy practices, such as crash dieting or excessive exercise. Rapid weight loss is often unsustainable and can have negative impacts on your health. Aim for gradual and sustainable weight loss instead.
Fixating on the Scale: Placing too much emphasis on the number on the scale can be counterproductive and demotivating. Weight fluctuates naturally due to factors like water retention and muscle gain. Instead, focus on other indicators of progress, such as improved energy levels, strength, endurance, or how your clothes fit.
Emotional Validation: Using weight loss as a means to seek validation, acceptance, or love from others can lead to disappointment and a negative self-image. It’s important to develop self-acceptance and love regardless of your weight or appearance.
Punishing or Negative Mindset: Approaching weight loss from a place of self-hatred, punishment, or shame can create an unhealthy relationship with food and exercise. It’s crucial to adopt a positive mindset, emphasizing self-care, self-compassion, and nurturing your body with healthy habits.

Remember, a healthy weight loss journey is driven by internal motivations, personal well-being, and a focus on overall health. It’s important to prioritize self-acceptance, self-care, and sustainable lifestyle changes that promote long-term well-being rather than short-term fixes or external expectations.

Prepare your support

Address weaknesses

As you embark on your weight loss journey, it’s important to gather valuable information that may not be immediately available but will prove crucial along the way. This includes recognizing and addressing weaknesses and mistakes that you may have encountered before or understanding yourself better.

Reflect on your eating habits, such as tendencies for snacking or emotional eating, which can provide initial insights. Additionally, if you have been on a weight loss journey for some time, you likely have a sense of which aspects have posed the greatest challenges for you.

Failures and setbacks can be powerful teachers, offering valuable lessons. Analyze what caused you to stumble or deviate from your diet, as this will provide critical information for your progress.

Once you’ve identified these stumbling blocks, it becomes essential to devise effective strategies to overcome them. For instance, if mindless snacking is a recurring issue, consider removing all tempting snacks from your home to regain control over your impulses. Similarly, if time constraints hinder your ability to prepare nutritious meals, seek out meal plans that can be easily prepped in advance, ensuring you have healthy options readily available throughout the week.

The more weaknesses you can pinpoint and proactively address, the smoother your weight loss journey will become. By recognizing and dealing with these challenges, you are equipping yourself with the tools and strategies necessary for success.

However, it’s crucial to remember not to lose sight of the bigger picture. While focusing on weaknesses and mistakes is important, it is equally vital to maintain a broader perspective. Keep your ultimate goal in mind and stay motivated by envisioning the positive changes you seek to achieve through your weight loss journey.

Get social support

In the beginning stages of your weight loss journey, it is crucial to establish a supportive network and create an environment that fosters your success. Don’t hesitate to communicate your goals and aspirations with your friends and family, allowing them to understand and support your endeavors.

Engaging with an interactive online weight loss community can be incredibly beneficial. These communities provide a platform for sharing personal stories, discussing challenges, and seeking advice. Seek out forums and groups that cater specifically to your situation. For instance, if you have diabetes and are looking to lose weight, find a forum where fellow diabetics are on a similar weight loss journey. Similarly, if you are following the ketogenic diet, joining a forum dedicated to ketogenic dieters can provide valuable insights and support.

It’s essential to actively participate and interact within the online community. Merely observing passively and reading about others’ experiences won’t offer the same level of support. By engaging in discussions, sharing your own journey, and connecting with others, you can tap into a wealth of support and knowledge.

When seeking social support, prioritize individuals who are not only supportive but also knowledgeable about your weight loss journey. These individuals can help keep you accountable, identify potential challenges you may face, and offer valuable tips based on their own experiences. Surrounding yourself with such individuals creates a positive and empowering atmosphere that propels you toward success.

Use the right tools

When embarking on your weight loss journey, incorporating the right tools can greatly enhance your progress and overall experience. From a wide array of options, such as calorie or food tracking apps, supplements, vitamin and nutrient injection therapies, to weight loss medications or surgeries, it’s important to identify the tools that work best for you.

Discovering the tools that complement your needs can be just as crucial as finding a suitable diet plan. For individuals seeking a more structured approach or those with limited experience in weight loss, tracking apps or specific dietary plans can offer valuable guidance.

However, it’s important to recognize that while these tools can be beneficial throughout your weight loss journey, they should not replace the core principles that underpin your success. An effective weight loss diet and an appropriate weight loss mindset remain fundamental.

Remember, these tools are meant to support you, but the ultimate responsibility for the success of your weight loss journey lies within yourself. Embrace the tools that align with your needs and goals, but always maintain a sense of personal accountability and commitment. By combining the right tools with your own dedication and determination, you can pave the way for a successful weight loss journey.

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Citations

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Karfopoulou E, Anastasiou CA, Avgeraki E, Kosmidis MH, Yannakoulia M. The role of social support in weight loss maintenance: results from the MedWeight study. J Behav Med. 2016;39(3):511-518. doi:10.1007/s10865-016-9717-y

Kiernan M, Moore SD, Schoffman DE, et al. Social support for healthy behaviors: scale psychometrics and prediction of weight loss among women in a behavioral program. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2012;20(4):756-764. doi:10.1038/oby.2011.293

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